No. 14/13 Softball Sweeps Opening Day of Big Red Invitational

LINCOLN, Neb. – The No. 14/13 University of Missouri softball team (15-2) swept its opening day of the 2024 Big Red Invitational Saturday at Bowlin Stadium, capturing victories over Wichita State (9-4) and host, Nebraska (8-9).

The Tigers opened the tournament with a 13-3 run-rule win over Wichita State before downing the Cornhuskers, 10-6, in the night cap.  

With the pair of victories, Mizzou improved to 15-2 in 2024 and is off to one of its best starts in program history. 

No. 14/13 Mizzou 13, RV/RV Wichita State 3 – Five Innings  

The Tigers opened their stay in the Cornhusker State with a run-rule victory, aided by a five-run second and a four-run fourth. 

Catcher Julia Crenshaw went a career-best 4-for-4 at the plate with four RBI (season high) and three runs. 

Missouri jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage, scoring a pair in the first. Leadoff hitter Jenna Laird was hit by a pitch before scoring on a bloop sacrifice fly from Kara Daly.

Crenshaw then stole second before touching the dish after a pair of Shockers errors. 

Laurin Krings then limited the damage the following inning to two, as Wichita State evened the game with a two-run homer from Sophie Johnson. 

The Tigers would reclaim the lead in the bottom of the second frame as Mizzou would load the bases and break the tie on a Crenshaw two-run base hit.

Mizzou then reloaded the bases, with consecutive hit by pitches for Daly and Maddie Gallagher (RBI).

Katie Chester then ripped a two-run single to increase the advantage to 7-2. 

Missouri then widened the gap to 11-2 with a four-run third that featured four consecutive singles. 

With the bases full of Tigers, Crenshaw, Daly, and Gallagher (2 RBI) registered three-straight RBI hits to grow the advantage. 

Mizzou increased the margin to double digits in the fourth. Chantice Phillips led off with a double before moving to third on a Kayley Lenger single. 

Phillips then touched home on a wild pitch for a 10-run advantage (12-2). 

Crenshaw then tallied her fourth RBI on her fourth hit of the day to plate Lenger. 

Taylor Sedlacek hit a solo homer to commence the fifth before Lilly Whitten closed the door to secure the run-rule win. 

Whitten picked up her second career win (2-0), pitching 3.0 innings in relief of Krings, allowing just one run on two hits with a strikeout. 

GAME NOTES

• Catcher Julia Crenshaw was a career-best 4-for-4 at the plate with four RBI (season high), three runs (career high) and a stolen base. 
• It marked the third time in 2024 that a Tiger had finished 4-for-4 at the plate. 
• The multi-RBI game was Julia Crenshaw’s team-leading fourth of the season. 
• Maddie Gallagher and Kayley Lenger (career high) both went 2-for-2 Saturday morning. Gallagher notched a season-high three RBI while Lenger scored a personal-best three times.
• Kara Daly and Katie Chester each added two RBI in the win. 
• Laurin Krings made the start for Mizzou, pitching two innings, allowing two runs on four hits with a strikeout for the no decision. 
• Lilly Whitten came in for MU and pitched three innings in relief, while allowing one run on two hits with a strikeout.
• Lilly Whitten made her second career appearance at Mizzou, improving to 2-0 in 2024.
• Claire Cahalan picked up her first career stolen base in the win.
• Mizzou picked up its fourth run-rule win of the season with a season-best matching 13 runs on 12 hits.
• The Tigers increased their all-time series advantage on the Shockers to 25-2. Head coach Larissa Anderson improved to 5-0 against Wichita State.

No 14/13 Mizzou 10, Nebraska 6

In the night cap, Mizzou jumped out to a 9-1 advantage on Nebraska courtesy of a six-run second. 

The Tigers and the Cornhuskers exchanged runs in the opening inning before the Tigers widened the gap to 7-1. Mizzou struck first on a fielder’s choice from Kara Daly which brought home Alex Honnold.

Nebraska answered in the bottom of the first with an RBI single from Emmerson Cope to knot the contest at 1-1. 

The Tigers then loaded the bases with one out in the second to set the stage for their six-run inning. 

Jenna Laird and Alex Honnold combined for back-to-back two-run doubles to push the lead to 5-1. 

Julia Crenshaw added an RBI base hit before coming home on a groundout from Daly. 

Chantice Phillips then led off the third with her first home run of the campaign to extend the advantage to 8-1. 

Madison Walker chipped in an RBI infield single in the fourth to make the score 9-1. 

Nebraska fought back with a five-run fifth to cut the deficit to 9-6. 

The Tigers then tacked on a run in the sixth before closing the door on the Huskers. 

Maddie Gallagher opened the frame with a double before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt. She then touched home on Walker’s second RBI of the game. 

Marissa McCann came on in relief of Taylor Pannell in the sixth. McCann, a freshman from Surprise, Arizona, picked up her first career save, throwing two shutout innings with one strikeout and one walk. 

GAME NOTES

• Chantice Phillips led the Tiger offense going 3-for-4 with two runs, an RBI, and a home run in the victory. 
• Chantice Phillips notched a career-best three hits for the second time in her career. She previously posted the mark on April 2, 2023, against Alabama. 
• Chantice Phillips blasted her first home run of the season (third career homer). 
• Cierra Harrison picked up the win in the circle to improve to 5-0 in 2024.
• Cierra Harrison pitched 4.1 innings, allowing six runs on six hits to go with three strikeouts and a pair of walks. 
• With the trio of strikeouts, Cierra Harrison is now three away from 100 in her career at Mizzou. 
• Taylor Pannell pitched 0.2 innings, facing four batters, and allowing just a walk with a strikeout.
• Marissa McCann, a freshman from Surprise, Arizona, picked up her first career save, throwing two shutout innings with one strikeout and one walk. 
• Alex Honnold went 2-for-4 Saturday against Nebraska, with two runs, two RBI, a double and a walk. She extended her hitting streak to nine games with her team-leading seventh multi-hit game.
• Julia Crenshaw also went 2-for-4 at the dish with an RBI and a run. She has notched a hit in each of the last three games for Mizzou. The multi-hit outing was the fourth for her in 2024. 
• Maddie Gallagher extended her reached-base streak to 11 games with a double and a walk. 
• Jenna Laird and Madison Walker each added two RBI.
• Claire Cahalan knocked her first career hit. 
• Mizzou posted a season-best 13 hits. 
• With the victory, Missouri moves to 32-54 against the Cornhuskers while head coach Larisa Anderson moves to 2-1 versus Nebraska. 

UP NEXT

• The Tigers next conclude the 2024 Big Red Invitational with a pair of rematches against Wichita State (11 a.m., CT) and host, Nebraska (1:30 p.m., CT) on Sunday. Mizzou’s game against Nebraska will be streamed on Big Ten Network+ ($). 

• Following the tournament, Missouri heads to Kansas City, Missouri, for a midweek against Kansas City at 4 p.m., CT, on Wednesday, March 6. The Tigers then host Auburn for their SEC and Home Opening weekend March 8-10 at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.